The prior art with regard to computerized printing has often utilized a relatively wide web page that can exceed 13 inches. The wide web page has printed material going from the left side to the right that can be sequential or distinct portions although being on the same line. This data is formed digitally by discrete raster lines. Often times, the printing on the wide web page can be columnar printed subject matter spread across the page.
Such columnar material printed on a wide web page can be such wherein there are multiple columns of material going from the left to the right. The columns of material can be printed in a format that allows for like material or differentiated columns going from the left to right across the page. The columns of material can then be sequenced again in the next series of columns spaced downwardly on the page.
This columnar format or arrangement can be used with regard to label applications such as bar codes. For instance, often times labels which include bar codes are printed on a wide web material such that there might be two or more labels or pages going from left to right across a single piece of paper or bar code label substrate.
This invention allows label application programs having data developed for wide web printers to be printed on a narrow web printer without a modification of the application program. For instance, the implementation of the invention can be such wherein label printing of multiple labels across a 13.2 inch wide web printer can be staggered by sequentially printing them on a narrow web printer in columnar form. This is effected by the use of the same application program without a modification. Thus, a dramatic improvement is provided by this invention with respect to the programming and software to create greater use of the existing application program for wide web data not merely for a discrete wide web printer.
The solution by the invention lies in its apparatus and method being able to take wide web printing data from a host which is received with an image developed in a page memory. This wide web page image or virtual image is then modified by the invention hereof for printing on a narrow web printer.
In order to print the wide web data material, a narrow web printer page width and length are selected. This defines the narrow web page image. During the printing, the wide web or virtual image is then parsed or segregated into a narrow web width into columns or serialized sequential rows. In this manner, each wide web page is printed sequentially on a narrow web printer.
A result is the target page length of the printed data material has been formed to provide wide web material parsed sequentially onto a narrow web. The ensuing net result with regard to labels is to allow them to be cut individually or in sets on a narrow web or unit substrate. This results in the printing of labels and bar code label application programs on a narrow web printer without modification.
The invention serves to protect user investments in applications software programs and provides greater compatibility with the elimination or the need to modify label or other applications programs.